Learning In a Flat World

The participatory web has allowed groups with common interests to organize and collaborate in ways that were not possible just five years ago.

Yesterday, Dr. Jonathon Becker, professor of Educational Leadership in the VCU School of Education, joined Jeff Nugent, Bud Deihl and myself of the VCU Center for Teaching Excellence to record a podcast on professional development in a networked world.  Jon and I co-teach our Education Technology and School Leadership online course, and I always enjoy listening to his perspectives on teaching, learning, and networked life.

Jon and Jeff shared their perspectives surrounding their attendance at EduCon 2.1, a “conference” organized and run by teachers and students without a supporting national professional organization.   Jon attended physically and presented, while Jeff attended from his home on a weekend via streaming video and social media.   It provided a rich example of networked learning and formed the basis for subsequent discussion into the changing nature of professional development…and learning.

Show Notes
Links mentioned during the podcast:

EduCon 2.1 – Conference wiki

K12Online Conference – Conference website and links to presentations

Shirky, Clay (2008) – Here Comes Everybody: The Power of Organizing Without Organizations

Malcolm Gladwell’s TED Talk – What we can learn from spaghetti sauce

Download file

{Photo Credit: William “Bud” Deihl}